Justice will continue sweepstake prizes, despite vaccine numbers trending downward

(The Center Square) – Although West Virginia’s vaccination numbers continue to trend downward, Gov. Jim Justice intends to continue weekly sweepstake prizes as an incentive to boost the state’s performance.

The state administered fewer than 5,300 vaccines in the past week as numbers have been trending downward in the past month. According to Department of Health and Human Service data, the best day for vaccines last week was Thursday, with 1,517. The previous week, the best day was Thursday with 1,922. In the previous two weeks, the best was 2,255 and 2,580 respectively.

Justice announced he would offer a prize lottery for those who get vaccines about a month ago. The prizes included $1 million cash prizes, pickup trucks, hunting rifles and shotguns, pickup trucks and college scholarships, among other things. Policy groups were torn on whether it was a good use of public money and whether it is the most effective use of taxpayer money to increase vaccination rates.

When the policy was announced more than three weeks ago, 57.5% of the 12 and older population had received at least one dose of the vaccine. At the current number, 62.4% have received at least one dose, which is an increase of less than five percentage points.

The governor, however, intends to continue with the program. He cited his marketing background and said if the state does not include these types of promotions, then it will miss a lot of people.

“We gotta try,” Justice said. “We gotta try anything and everything that’s available to us.”

The governor said that if more unvaccinated people were dying of the virus, then they would be running to get the vaccine. He said the vaccines are safe and effective.

Justice said that those who don’t get the vaccine are signing up for the “death lottery.” The death rate is low for the younger population, who have been the most reluctant to get the vaccine, but is higher for those who are older.

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